Tag: Raiders

Dec 31, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) celebrates his touchdown in the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Raiders WR Davante Adams: No desire to be traded

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams wants to be in Las Vegas, and insists he’d be gone by now if he had any desire to be traded.

“If I wanted to be gone, I’d be gone by now. This is where I want to be,” Adams said at his football camp Sunday, according to multiple reports.

New general manager Tom Telesco told reporters at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine there was no plan to part with Adams.

“He’s a Raider,” Telesco said in Indianapolis.

Adams, 31, was linked to a reunion with former Green Bay Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets.

Adams said in February he was excited instead to be back with new Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. The two got to know each other when Adams entered the NFL in 2014 and Getsy was the Packers’ offensive quality control coach.

“He’s the type of coach that’s open-minded … he’s going to be open to hearing things from the veteran players that know how this thing works and the best way to do things,” Adams said at the time.

Adams had 103 catches for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games last season.

A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Adams has 872 catches for 10,781 yards and 95 touchdowns in 150 career games (143 starts) with the Packers (2014-21) and Raiders.

Telesco, 51, led the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers’ front office from 2013-23 before the franchise dismissed both him and coach Brandon Staley after a disastrous 63-21 loss in Week 15 — to the rival Raiders.

–Field Level Media

Oct 8, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Aces owner Mark Davis and part-owner Tom Brady talk before the game between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty during game one of the 2023 WNBA Finals at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Tom Brady’s bid for stake in Raiders likely on hold

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tom Brady’s attempt to own a piece of the Las Vegas Raiders is likely to be delayed with no vote expected at the annual NFL meeting next week, according to a Washington Post report.

The retired NFL great had hoped to be on track to approval by league owners by adjusting his bid for 10 percent of the team after the finance committee’s earlier concerns about a price below market value.

Brady initially came to an agreement with Raiders majority owner Mark Davis in May that would make the seven-time Super Bowl champion a minority owner of the NFL’s Las Vegas franchise with a 10 percent stake for a reported $175 million.

The Raiders were valued by Forbes at $6.2 billion in August.

There are concerns that Brady is receiving too much of a discount from what is generally accepted for limited partners, the Post reported. Some owners also see a possible conflict of interest in Brady being an owner while working his new job in the broadcast booth as Fox’s lead NFL analyst. He reportedly is under contract for 10 years and $375 million, beginning next season.

Brady, 46, who retired after the 2022 season after a stellar career with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, would be seeking access to other teams’ training facilities and practice fields as part of his preparations for Fox broadcasts.

He is partnering with Tom Wagner, the co-founder of Knighthead Capital Management, in the bid for a share of the Raiders.

The owners meeting is slated to begin Sunday in Orlando. The Raiders’ arrangement with Brady must be approved by at least 24 of the 32 league owners, who generally follow the finance committee’s recommendation.

The owners are meeting again in May in Nashville.

–Field Level Media

Jan 7, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) misses a pass in the end zone against the Denver Broncos during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson among stars of Netflix’s ‘Receiver’

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Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson and three other big-name pass catchers are starring in Netflix’s docuseries called “Receiver,” the streaming service announced Tuesday.

The star wideouts of the Las Vegas Raiders and Minnesota Vikings, respectively, will be joined by the San Francisco 49ers duo of Deebo Samuel and George Kittle as well as Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The eight-episode series is scheduled to start in the summer.

“Receiver” is a continuation of Netflix’s relationship with the NFL that first began with “Quarterback” in 2023. The production is a joint endeavor with NFL Films, Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions and Patrick Mahomes’ 2PM Productions.

“The natural progression is from a pass to a catch, so we’re excited to dive into the ‘Receiver’ world after the success of our ‘Quarterback’ series,” Netflix executive Gabe Spitzer said. “NFL Films, Omaha Productions and 2PM Productions have delivered again in finding unique and dynamic athletes who will further highlight the drama of this sport on and off the field.”

Manning said he was “excited” to give fans a closer look at some of the best receivers in the NFL.

“As we did with ‘Quarterback,’ we look forward to telling the stories of five incredible receivers, each with their unique personality, skillset and motivation for what drives them to be the best.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 14, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler (69) smiles after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Raiders re-sign DT Adam Butler

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The Las Vegas Raiders re-signed defensive tackle Adam Butler to a one-year deal, according to multiple reports Saturday.

Signed by the Patriots as an undrafted rookie in 2017, Butler played four seasons in New England. He then signed a two-year deal with the Miami Dolphins but was released after one year and sat out the 2022 season with an undisclosed injury.

Butler then signed a reserve/futures contract with the Raiders and proceeded to have a strong comeback season, playing in all 17 games and recording five sacks.

A native of Duncanville, Texas, Butler played college football at Vanderbilt.

The Raiders recently signed free agent defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who played with Butler in Miami.

–Field Level Media

Jan 7, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Raiders release QB Jimmy Garoppolo, WR Hunter Renfrow

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The Las Vegas Raiders officially released veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo after one season on Wednesday.

The team also cut wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, defensive tackle Jerry Tillery and backup QB Brian Hoyer, saving more than $19 million in salary cap space.

Garoppolo, 32, signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract, with $45 million of it guaranteed, last March.

In February, he was suspended two games by the NFL for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy, reportedly for using a prescribed medication without having a valid therapeutic use exemption from the NFL. The suspension voided $11.25 million in guaranteed salary, per Spotrac.

Before the suspension, the Raiders already had all but decided to part with Garoppolo.

Garoppolo was benched after Josh McDaniels was fired as head coach on Nov. 1, save for a spot appearance in which he had one incomplete pass and a sack in the season finale against the Denver Broncos on Jan. 7.

Garoppolo completed 65.1 percent of his throws for 1,205 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions in seven games in 2023.

In the new season, the Raiders will go with second-year QB Aidan O’Connell, who replaced Garoppolo and started 10 games, or veteran Gardner Minshew, who reportedly agreed to a two-year, $25 million deal with $15 million fully guaranteed. They also have Anthony Brown, signed to a non-guaranteed reserve/future contract.

Garoppolo won two Super Bowls as Tom Brady’s backup in New England (2014-16) and also played with the San Francisco 49ers (2017-22) before the Raiders. He has completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 15,494 yards with 94 TDs and 51 interceptions. In 63 starts (81 total career games), Garoppolo has a 43-20 record.

Renfrow, 28, made the Pro Bowl with 103 receptions for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021 but played a diminished role the past two seasons with a combined 61 catches for 585 yards in 27 games.

Tillery, 27, was a first-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019. He played in all 17 games (six starts) for Las Vegas in 2023 and contributed two sacks and 31 tackles.

Hoyer, 38, made one start for the Raiders last season and threw for 129 yards with two interceptions in a 30-12 loss at Chicago in Week 7. He spent parts of eight seasons with New England and has passed for 10,899 yards and 53 touchdowns in 79 games (41 starts) with eight teams since 2009.

–Field Level Media

Nov 12, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (8) reacts after getting first down against the New York Jets during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: RB Josh Jacobs expected to sign with Packers

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The Green Bay Packers are expected to sign running back Josh Jacobs, NFL Network reported Monday.

Terms of the deal were not reported.

Jacobs, 26, took a slight step back last season for the Las Vegas Raiders from a productive year in 2022, when he rushed for 805 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games, all starts, as he worked his way through a quadriceps injury.

One season earlier, Jacobs rushed for an NFL-best 1,653 yards and 12 TDs in 17 games. In five seasons with the Raiders, he rushed for 5,545 yards and 46 TDs in 73 games (72 starts) after he was a first-round draft pick in 2019 out of Alabama.

The Raiders did not place a franchise tag on Jacobs last month, although it was believed that Las Vegas had prioritized re-signing the 2022 NFL rushing champion.

The Raiders are expected to turn to Zamir White to lead their rushing attack next season. White rushed for 451 yards and one touchdown last season in 17 games, while starting the four games when Jacobs was out.

–Field Level Media

Nov 12, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) throws under pressure from Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (90) during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Raiders to release DT Jerry Tillery

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Las Vegas Raiders will release defensive tackle Jerry Tillery with the start of the new league year on Wednesday, ESPN reported Saturday.

Tillery was the No. 28 overall pick of the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019 and waived by the team and then-general manager Tom Telesco on Nov. 10, 2022. The Raiders claimed him off waivers days later and signed him to a two-year, $6.8 million contract in March 2023.

Telesco is now in charge with the Raiders, hired as general manager in January.

Tillery, 27, was due a $1.5 million roster bonus next week, and his 2024 salary would have guaranteed. The Raiders will take a dead cap hit of $375,000.

In 25 games (10 starts) with the Raiders, Tillery recorded 31 tackles, two quarterback hits and two sacks with one fumble recovery.

He has played in 79 career games (39 starts) with 147 tackles, 14 quarterback hits, 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) scrambles in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Russell Wilson Next Team Odds: Steelers, Raiders top short list

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Russell Wilson is hitting the open market at a difficult time for a quarterback on the second nine of his career.

With as many as six signal-callers expected to be selected in the first round of next month’s NFL draft, there are only a handful of potential destinations that make sense for the former Super Bowl champion. Wilson, 35, was informed by the Denver Broncos on Monday that he will be released after two disappointing seasons with the team.

While DraftKings is offering odds on 24 potential destinations for Wilson, only five have odds shorter than +1800.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (-200)
Despite a report by the Athletic that Pittsburgh is not interested in signing Wilson, the Steelers remain the -200 favorite to be the team with which he takes his first snap in 2024. That’s slightly longer odds than the -225 odds Pittsburgh had last week, when Broncos coach Sean Payton said at the Scouting Combine that an official decision on Wilson’s future had yet to be made.

The Steelers spent a 2022 first-round pick on Kenny Pickett, but it was veteran backup Mason Rudolph who led Pittsburgh to the playoffs when Pickett was injured and then got the postseason start even when Pickett was healthy.

That has led many to speculate that the Steelers will be in the market for a veteran who can immediately boost Pittsburgh’s contender status.

The Steelers also are among the favorites to land Chicago’s Justin Fields (+225) and Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins (+1000).

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (+275)
The Raiders also are likely in the market for a veteran quarterback, having finished last season with rookie Aidan O’Connell under center after Jimmy Garoppolo was benched. There are a few hurdles when projecting Wilson to Las Vegas.

The Raiders got a first-hand look at Wilson over the past two seasons. He had been benched by Denver’s season-ending loss at Las Vegas in Week 17 but was put in the role of game manager when the teams opened the season, throwing for a pair of touchdowns but only 177 yards in a 34-27 Raiders victory.

Wilson went 0-3 as a starter against Las Vegas during his two years with Denver. The Raiders also play in one of the NFL’s most difficult divisions that has a pair of franchise quarterbacks in Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Las Vegas also is +650 to acquire Fields and +1000 to sign Cousins.

ATLANTA FALCONS (+475)
Atlanta toggled between second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder and journeyman Taylor Heineke last season. New coach Raheem Morris has made it clear that he sees an upgrade at the position as an offseason priority.

The Falcons are expected to be more interested in Cousins and are the -225 favorite to sign him. They are also the +110 favorites to land Fields. That puts Wilson on the backburner, and his opportunities elsewhere could be dictated by what direction Atlanta ultimately goes at quarterback.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (+800)
The Patriots hold the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. Assuming Chicago tabs Williams at No. 1, that puts New England in position to land North Carolina’s Drake Maye or LSU’s Jayden Daniels, depending upon what Washington does at No. 2.

If the Patriots see either as a franchise quarterback, they could be interested in Wilson as a mentor and/or one-year stop gap to the future. If they don’t hold Maye or Daniels in that light, Wilson could provide stability for an offense that has floundered the past two years under Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (+950)
Cousins and Wilson are both veterans but with different skillsets. Cousins is the prototype pocket passer while Wilson is much more of a playmaker outside the pocket.

The Vikings know what they have in Cousins, who has led Minnesota to the playoffs in three of his six seasons with the team. Could they be interested in making a switch to Wilson, a proven playoff winner who also throws one of the best deep balls in the league?

Minnesota almost certainly wants a proven veteran under center with a roster primed to be highly competitive in the NFC. The Vikings also need to contend in their own division with the Detroit Lions coming off a run to the NFC Championship Game and a Green Bay Packers team that fell one half short of meeting them there.

BITING A RECORD BULLET
By releasing Wilson, the Broncos will be cutting the chord on what will go down as arguably the worst trade in NFL history.

It most definitely serves as the biggest financial hit a team has endured, with Denver on the hook for a record dead-cap hit of $85 million. The Broncos must release him before March 17, when Wilson’s contract calls for $37 million in salary guarantees for the 2025 season.

The nine-time Pro Bowl pick was acquired from the Seahawks prior to the 2022 season for three players and five draft choices. The Broncos then gave him a five-year, $242.5 million contract extension before he even played for the club.

There wasn’t much bang for the buck with Wilson compiling an 11-19 record in 30 starts. Wilson had 16 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions in 2022 and improved the marks to 26 and 8, respectively, last season.

Wilson’s $39 million salary for 2024 was already guaranteed.

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) prepares to pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) (not pictured) who scored a touchdown in the second quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Russell Wilson’s next team? Strong favorite emerges

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The divorce between Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos certainly appears to be a matter of when, not if.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said at the NFL Scouting Combine that “I would anticipate it being within the next two weeks,” when asked about a decision on Wilson’s future.

What’s next for the 35-year-old former Super Bowl champion is one of the biggest storylines of the NFL offseason.

With a trio of quarterback prospects atop most draft boards, that leaves a handful of quarterback-needy teams as likely potential suitors for Wilson’s services.

That list is topped by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are the -225 favorite at DraftKings to be the team that Wilson takes his first snap for next season. That’s well ahead of the next shortest odds, which belong to the Las Vegas Raiders at +550.

The short list of sensible landing spots is why remaining with the Broncos still shares the third lowest odds at +600 along with joining the Atlanta Falcons.

The sportsbook is offering odds on all 32 NFL franchises, although the list essentially stops with an extremely unlikely reunion in Seattle at +6000.

RUSSELL WILSON NEXT SNAP ODDS*
Pittsburgh Steelers (-225)
Las Vegas Raiders (+550)
Denver Broncos (+600)
Atlanta Falcons (+600)
New England Patriots (+850)
Minnesota Vikings (+1000)
Washington Commanders (+2000)
Tennessee Titans (+3000)
New York Giants (+3500)
Chicago Bears (+4000
Carolina Panthers (+4000)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+4000)
*DraftKings

The Steelers spent a 2022 first-round pick on Kenny Pickett, but it was veteran backup Mason Rudolph who led Pittsburgh to the playoffs when Pickett was injured and then got the postseason start even when Pickett was healthy.

That has led many to speculate that the Steelers will be in the market for a veteran who can immediately boost Pittsburgh’s contender status.

The Steelers are also among the favorites to land Chicago’s Justin Fields (+380) and Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins (+1000).

The Raiders are also likely in the market for a veteran quarterback, having finished last season with rookie Aidan O’Connell under center after Jimmy Garoppolo was benched. Las Vegas is +800 to acquire Fields and +1000 to sign Cousins.

Atlanta toggled between second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder and journeyman Taylor Heineke last season. New coach Raheem Morris has made it clear that he sees an upgrade at the position as an offseason priority.

Wilson easily has the most postseason success among the potential options, although the Falcons are currently the -300 favorite to acquire Fields. They’re also +300 to sign Cousins compared to +600 to land Wilson.

If Wilson isn’t traded or released by March 17, then $37 million in salary guarantees for the 2025 season will be locked in.

Making a trade by then doesn’t seem likely based on Tuesday’s comments from Broncos general manager George Paton.

“I haven’t heard anything from any teams so we’ll see,” Paton said.

On Sunday on the “I Am Athlete” podcast with former Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall, Wilson indicated he would prefer to remain with the Broncos.

“I’ve got more fire than ever, honestly, especially over the past two years and what I’ve gone through,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s in Denver or somewhere else. I hope it’s Denver. I hope I get to finish there. I committed there. I wanted to be there. I want to be there.”

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl pick, was acquired from the Seahawks prior to the 2022 season for three players and five draft choices. The Broncos then gave him a five-year, $242.5 million contract extension before he even played for the club.

There hasn’t been much bang for the buck with Wilson compiling an 11-19 record in 30 starts. Wilson had 16 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions in 2022 and improved the marks to 26 and eight, respectively, last season.

The issue of bad blood can’t be overlooked after the Broncos approached Wilson’s representation in October and asked for the quarterback to push back the injury guarantee date on his contract and included a threat to bench him if he didn’t comply.

“We moved forward, we addressed that,” Paton said. “Everything we did was above board. I appreciate Russ but we moved forward. We have a lot of work to do. We’re here at the combine. We have free agency around the corner. We’re working on bettering our team and winning football games.”

Paton and Payton are both dissecting the available quarterbacks in the 2024 draft class. Denver owns the No. 12 pick and Paton said the club is open to all possibilities, while admitting there’s not enough draft capital to move up to No. 1 where Southern California’s Caleb Williams is expected to be selected.

“It’s the most important position in sports,” Paton said. “So it’s important — whether it’s from within. That’s why this is taking a long time, this decision is very important. If you’re going to draft one, that’s obviously very difficult. … There’s more mistakes it seems at quarterback, especially in the first round.”

Payton is looking forward to evaluating the draft-hopeful quarterbacks.

“I think we’ll be really good at this and to some degree we’re glad that a lot of people aren’t,” Payton said.

The Broncos (8-9) missed the playoffs for the eighth straight season in 2023.

–Field Level Media

Jan 7, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) makes a catch against Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Raiders GM shuts down trade rumors involving Davante Adams

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Three-time All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams is remaining with the Las Vegas Raiders, new general manager Tom Telesco told reporters on Tuesday at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

“He’s a Raider,” Telesco said.

Adams, 31, reportedly had been linked to a reunion with former Green Bay Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets.

Adams, however, told ESPN earlier this month that it was “definitely exciting” to work with new Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. The two got to know each other when Adams entered the NFL in 2014 and Getsy was the Packers’ offensive quality control coach.

“He’s the type of coach that’s open-minded … he’s going to be open to hearing things from the veteran players that know how this thing works and the best way to do things,” Adams said at the time.

Adams had 103 catches for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games last season.

A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Adams has 872 catches for 10,781 yards and 95 touchdowns in 150 career games (143 starts) with the Packers (2014-21) and Raiders.

Telesco, 51, led the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers’ front office from 2013-23 before the franchise dismissed both him and coach Brandon Staley after a disastrous 63-21 loss in Week 15 — to the rival Raiders.

During Telesco’s tenure as GM, the Chargers made the playoffs just three times in 11 seasons and never got past the divisional round, despite working with quarterbacks Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert. The Chargers went 84-92 during his tenure.

–Field Level Media